Finance for non-finance managers is a training program that helps managers from sales, operations, HR and technology understand how their decisions affect profit, cash and value. It covers financial statements, key ratios, costing, budgeting, working capital and investment appraisal using Indian formats. Bodhih runs it as a 2-day workshop or 4 x 3-hour virtual sessions with industry case studies.
- Recommended: 2 days in person, or 4 × 3-hour live virtual sessions
- Level: Foundation · In person · Live virtual · Blended
- Designed with the ADDIE model and customised to your context
- Offered by Bodhih since 2008 to 2,000+ organisations across 7 regions
Also known as: finance for non finance managers training, finance for non finance professionals, financial acumen training, business finance for managers
Where and how: finance for non finance managers training as an in-person workshop in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Jaipur; as a live online course; or delivered overseas in Dubai, Singapore and across the Middle East, Asia and Africa.
Last reviewed by Siddharthan VGJ, Founder · Bodhih Training, Bengaluru
Why every manager needs financial acumen
Managers are increasingly accountable for budgets, margins and business cases, yet many were promoted for technical or functional expertise. Without financial understanding, they struggle to prioritise, defend proposals or see the impact of everyday choices.
Finance for non-finance managers closes that gap. It helps managers talk the language of finance with confidence and partner better with their finance teams.
What participants will be able to do
Read financial statements
Interpret a P&L, balance sheet and cash flow statement in the Schedule III format used by Indian companies.
Link decisions to profit
Trace how pricing, discounts, headcount and costs flow through to EBITDA and net profit.
Manage cash, not just profit
Explain the working capital cycle and how receivable days and inventory affect cash.
Understand costs
Use fixed and variable costs, contribution margin and break-even analysis in everyday decisions.
Budget with confidence
Build a simple departmental budget and explain variances to leadership.
Evaluate investments
Assess a proposal using payback, NPV and IRR, and write a financially sound business case.
Who should attend
- Sales, marketing and business development managers
- Operations, plant and supply chain managers
- Engineering, IT and GCC managers who own budgets
- HR and L&D leaders managing people costs
- High-potential managers preparing for P&L roles
- Founders and managers in startups without a finance team
Program outline
Recommended design, customised to your context after a short needs analysis.
01The language of businessModule 1 · 90 min+
- How money flows through a business: revenue, cost, profit and cash
- Key terms: revenue, gross margin, EBITDA, PAT, capex and opex
- Reading an annual report: where to look first
02Financial statements decodedModule 2 · 2.5 hours+
- P&L, balance sheet and cash flow statement, and how they connect
- Indian formats under Schedule III and Ind AS basics
- Profit versus cash: why profitable firms can run out of money
- Exercise: reading a listed company's results
03Ratios that matter to managersModule 3 · 90 min+
- Profitability ratios: gross margin, EBITDA margin, return on capital employed
- Liquidity and efficiency: current ratio, receivable days, inventory days
- Building a one-page dashboard for your function
04Costing and pricing decisionsModule 4 · 2 hours+
- Fixed, variable and semi-variable costs
- Contribution margin and break-even analysis
- The true cost of a discount
- Unit economics for startups and digital businesses
05Budgeting, forecasting and working capitalModule 5 · 2 hours+
- Building a departmental budget
- Variance analysis and explaining the numbers
- Working capital cycle and the impact of GST on cash flow
- Case: a sales manager's effect on receivables
06Investment decisions and business casesModule 6 · 2 hours+
- Time value of money made simple
- Payback, NPV and IRR in Excel
- Writing a business case finance will approve
- Group case: evaluating a new machine, product or software investment
Sample training plan: 2-day hands-on design
This two-day design teaches finance by doing it. Managers follow ₹100 of revenue through a business, read a listed Indian company's results in Schedule III format, find the true cost of a discount, build a departmental budget and explain its variances, and test a real investment idea with payback and NPV. On Day 2 teams run a simulated company for three years of decisions and see the cash, not just the profit. Everyone leaves with spreadsheet templates they can use on Monday.
Participants can read the three statements, calculate the ratios that matter to their role and see the real cost of a discount.
- 09:30–10:00Where does ₹100 go?Energiser
- 10:00–11:00Three statements, one storyDemo & practice
- 11:15–12:15Reading a real annual reportHands-on lab
- 12:15–13:00Profit is not cashConcept burst
- 13:45–14:45Ratios for my functionBuild sprint
- 14:45–15:30The true cost of a discountSkill drill
- 15:45–16:45Pricing a dealCase clinic
- 16:45–17:30What I now see in my own numbersReflection
Participants can build and defend a budget, evaluate an investment and see how their decisions move profit and cash over time.
- 09:30–10:00Finance quiz showEnergiser
- 10:00–11:00Build the budgetHands-on lab
- 11:15–12:00Explaining the varianceRole-play
- 12:00–13:00Is the machine worth it?Hands-on lab
- 13:45–15:15Run the companyBusiness game
- 15:30–16:40Business case finance will approvePresentation
- 16:40–17:30My 60-day finance planAction planning
Every session’s activity, timings, outputs and materials, plus pre-work, a 90-day reinforcement plan and how impact is measured. Free, emailed to you instantly.
Recommended: 2 days in person (09:30–17:30), or 4 × 3-hour live virtual sessions, using the client's published results or anonymised internal figures where possible. A sample design: every Bodhih program is customised after a short needs analysis.
How long is finance for non-finance managers training?
The recommended design is two days in person, 09:30 to 17:30. It also runs as four live virtual sessions of three hours each. Where possible it uses the client's own published results or anonymised internal figures, and a condensed version is available for senior leaders.
What activities are included in finance for non-finance managers training?
Managers post transactions onto the three statements, read a listed Indian company's annual report, calculate the true cost of a discount, build and defend a departmental budget, evaluate a machine purchase with NPV and run a simulated company over three years.
How we deliver it
Plain language, no jargon
Concepts are explained through everyday analogies before any formula, so managers without a finance background stay confident.
Your company's numbers
Where possible, we use your published results or anonymised internal figures, which makes the learning immediately relevant.
Business simulation
Teams run a simulated company over several rounds, making pricing, hiring and investment decisions and seeing the financial results.
Excel templates
Participants leave with simple templates for break-even, budgets and NPV that they can use at work.
Tailored versions
For sales teams
Focus on margins, discounts, pricing, receivables and how deal structures affect profitability and cash.
For engineering and GCC managers
Cost centre budgeting, chargeback models, cloud and licence costs, and building business cases for global stakeholders.
For senior leaders
A condensed session on reading board packs, shareholder value, capital allocation and investor expectations.
How we measure impact
Using the ADDIE Evaluate stage, participants take a pre and post financial acumen assessment on AssessAll to measure knowledge gain. Each participant applies the tools to a real budget or business case, which is reviewed after the program. Managers hold 30, 60 and 90 day check-ins on application. With client agreement, we also track indicators such as budget variance accuracy, discount discipline or receivable days in the relevant teams.
Pair this program with AssessAll, Bodhih’s AI assessment platform, for pre- and post-program skill measurement.
Frequently asked questions
What is finance for non finance managers?
It is a training program that teaches managers without a finance background how to understand and use financial information. It covers financial statements, key ratios, costing, budgeting, cash flow and investment decisions. The aim is not to turn managers into accountants but to help them make better business decisions and work well with finance teams.
Why should non finance managers learn finance?
Almost every management decision has a financial impact, from hiring and pricing to buying equipment. Managers who understand finance can prioritise better, build stronger business cases, manage budgets and spot risks early. It also improves their credibility with senior leaders and is essential for anyone preparing for a P&L role.
What topics are covered in finance for non finance?
Typical topics include the P&L, balance sheet and cash flow statement, financial ratios, fixed and variable costs, break-even analysis, budgeting and variance analysis, working capital and investment appraisal using payback, NPV and IRR. Our program adapts the depth and examples to each audience's industry and role.
What is the difference between profit and cash flow?
Profit is revenue minus expenses in an accounting period, recorded when sales are made even if customers have not yet paid. Cash flow is the actual money moving in and out. A business can be profitable but still run short of cash if customers pay late or inventory builds up. Managers influence both.
Do participants need any accounting knowledge?
No. The program starts from first principles and uses plain language and practical examples. Basic comfort with numbers and Excel is helpful but not essential. Participants who already have some knowledge still benefit from the business simulation and the application to their own function.
Is the program based on Indian accounting formats?
Yes, for Indian audiences we use the Schedule III format and Ind AS basics, along with GST impacts on cash. For teams in the Middle East, Southeast Asia or other regions, or for GCCs reporting to global parents, we adapt examples to IFRS or the parent's reporting format.
Can finance for non finance managers be run live virtually?
Yes. The live virtual version runs as four three-hour sessions with breakout rooms, shared Excel templates and an online business simulation. Short exercises between sessions help participants apply the concepts to their own budgets. Many clients choose virtual delivery to bring together managers from several cities or countries in one cohort.